Stereo image matching method and system using image multiple lines

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a stereo image matching method for re-creating 3-dimensional spatial information from a pair of 2-dimensional images. The conventional stereo image matching method generates much noise from a disparity value in the vertical direction, but the present invention uses disparity information of adjacent image lines as a constraint condition to eliminate the noise in the vertical direction, and compress the disparity by using a differential coding method to thereby increase a compression rate.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/032,253 filed on Jan. 10, 2005, which claims priority of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2004-72531 filed on Sep. 10, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a stereo image matching method and system using image multiple lines. More specifically, the present invention relates to a systolic architecture based stereo image matching method and system for multiple epipolar stereo image matching.

(b) Description of the Related Art

The stereo image matching method represents a method for re-creating 3-dimensional spatial information from a pair of 2-dimensional images. As shown in FIG. 1, the stereo image matching method indicates a method for finding left and right pixels corresponding to the same position of (X, Y, Z) in the 3-dimensional space on image lines on the left image epipolar line and the right image epipolar line. In this instance, a disparity of “d” for the conjugate pixel pair is defined to be d=x^(r)−x^(l). The disparity has distance information, and a geometrical distance calculated from the disparity is referred to as a depth. Hence, 3-dimensional distance information and shape information on an observation space can be measured by calculating the disparity in real-time from an input image.

An article of “Structure from stereo” by Umesh R. Dhond and J. K. Aggarwal from a Review, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 19(6):553-572, November/December 1989 discloses the basic concept, and a US published application of No. 2002-0025075 discloses a stereo image matching realization system.

In the above-noted prior art as shown in FIG. 12, much noise is generated in the vertical direction since the image lines g_(ml) and g_(mr) on the m^(th) right and left epipolar lines are independently calculated. That is, the disparity in the vertical direction on the disparity image is not accurately displayed because of an influence of noise. When the left image of FIG. 13A and the right image of FIG. 13B are input, the image with much noise is displayed as shown in FIG. 13D.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a stereo image matching method for reducing vertical disparity noise.

In the present invention, the disparity of image lines is used.

In one aspect of the present invention, a stereo image matching system using image lines comprises: an image processor for converting images input by first and second cameras into digital signals, and outputting first and second pixel data; and an image matcher for determining a predetermined cost from the first and second pixel data on the same epipolar line, tracking a first decision value for determining the predetermined cost, and using the first decision value estimated from the first and second pixel data to output a second decision value.

The first and second pixel data are pixel data of left and right image lines on the same epipolar line.

The image matcher may comprise: a first input buffer and a second input buffer for respectively arranging the first and second pixel data, and outputting them; and a processing element array for receiving the first and second pixel data from the first and second input buffers, and tracking the first and second decision values.

The processing element array may comprise: a plurality of first image registers for sequentially receiving the first pixel data; a plurality of second image registers for sequentially receiving the second pixel data; and a plurality of processing elements for receiving the first and second pixel data from the first and second registers, and tracking the first and second decision values.

The processing element transmits and receives costs and activation signals to/from adjacent processing elements.

The activation signal may comprise a multi-line processing activation signal for calculating a multi-line cost: and a backward processing activation signal of adjacent processing elements.

The processing element may comprise: a forward processor for determining a cost from the first and second pixel data and the multi-line processing activation signal, and calculating the first decision value for representing the determined cost; a stack for storing the first decision value; and a backward processor for using the first decision value on the adjacent epipolar line and the backward processing activation signal and calculating the second decision value.

Costs of cost registers of forward processors excluding the 0^(th) forward processor are established to be maximum when the forward processors are reset.

Input orders of the first and second pixel data input to the first and second image registers are different according to the condition whether image lines on the epipolar lines corresponding to the input first and second pixel data are odd or even in the images.

In another aspect of the present invention, a stereo image matching method using image lines, comprises: receiving left and right pixel data from left and right cameras; arranging left and right pixel data of image lines on epipolar lines, and sequentially outputting them to a plurality of first and second image registers; allowing the forward processors to determine predetermined costs from the left and right pixel data output by the first and second image registers and track a first decision value for determining the costs; and allowing the backward processors to output a second decision value which is an optimal decision value from the first decision value for the adjacent image line, wherein the forward processors and the backward processors are concurrently performed.

In still another aspect of the present invention, a stereo image matching method using image lines comprises: receiving left and right pixel data from left and right cameras; arranging left and right pixel data of image lines on epipolar lines, and sequentially outputting them to a plurality of first and second image registers; allowing the forward processors to determine predetermined costs from the left and right pixel data output by the first and second image registers and track a first decision value for determining the costs; and allowing the backward processors to output a second decision value which is an optimal decision value from the first decision value for the adjacent image line, wherein the backward processors are performed after the forward processors are performed, and the forward processors and the backward processors can be performed at high speed due to the pipeline architecture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention:

FIG. 1 shows a stereo image matching diagram of the prior art;

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a stereo image matching system according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a multi-line stereo image matcher of the stereo image matching system according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an input buffer shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a detailed block diagram of the multi-line stereo image matcher of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show a forward processor and a backward processor of FIG. 5 respectively;

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 respectively show a flowchart for the stereo image matching system according to the first exemplary embodiment to process pixel data of an even image line and a flowchart for the stereo image matching system to process pixel data of an odd image line;

FIG. 10 shows a forward processing and backward processing flowchart in the stereo image matching method according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 shows a stereo image matching method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 shows a conventional stereo image matching method;

FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B show a left image and a right image respectively; and

FIG. 13C and FIG. 13D show results of processing the images of FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B using the method of FIG. 11 and FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description, only an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by the inventor(s) of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not restrictive. To clarify the present invention, parts which are not described in the specification are omitted, and parts for which similar descriptions are provided have the same reference numerals.

A stereo image matching method and system using a plurality of image lines according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.

A stereo image matching system using image lines according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a stereo image matching system according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a multi-line stereo image matcher of the stereo image matching system according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an input buffer shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 shows a detailed block diagram of the multi-line stereo image matcher of FIG. 3. FIGS. 6 and 7 show a forward processor and a backward processor of FIG. 5 of the diagram respectively.

As shown in FIG. 2, the stereo image matching system comprises a left camera 110, a right camera 120, an image processor 200, a multi-line image matcher 300, and a user system 400. The left and right cameras 110 and 120 take left and right images of a subject, and transmit the image signals to the image processor 200. The image processor 200 converts the left and right image signals into digital signals, and outputs the same. The multi-line image matcher 300 calculates a decision value from the digital image signals provided by the image processor 200, and outputs a disparity value. The user system 400 receives a distance image caused by the disparity value output by the multi-line image matcher 300, and uses it for subsequent processes.

Referring to FIG. 3, the multi-line image matcher 300 includes two input buffers 310, a processing element array 320, and an encoder 330. The input buffers 310 respectively receive left image signals and right image signals (pixel data), rearrange the pixel data according to a control signal, and output the rearranged pixel data. The processing element array 320 uses disparity values of adjacent image lines to find the disparity of the input pixel data, and the encoder 330 converts the disparity values into an appropriate format and outputs result signals.

The multi-line image matcher 300 sequentially receives pixel data of left and right images on the epipolar lines, calculates a disparity value, and outputs the disparity value, and this process of outputting the disparity value is repeatedly performed for the image lines on the epipolar lines of a pair of images.

Referring to FIG. 4, the input buffer 310 of FIG. 2 includes a multiplexer 311, two line buffers 312 and 313, a demultiplexer 314, two address generators 315 and 316, and a controller 317. The multiplexer 311 outputs the pixel data to one of the line buffers 312 and 313 according to control by the controller 317. The two address generators 315 and 316 select data to be output from among the data stored in the line buffers 312 and 313 according to control by the controller 317. The demultiplexer 314 selects one of the pixel data output by the line buffers 312 and 313 and outputs the same according to control by the controller 317.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the processing element array 320 of FIG. 2 includes N/2 left image registers 321 (l₂ to l_(N/2)), N/2 right image registers r_(N/2−1) to r₁, N forward processors 323 (fp₁ to fp_(N)), N backward processors 324 (bp₁ to bp_(N)), and N stacks 325. The forward processors 323, the backward processors 324, and the stacks 325 form processing elements which are provided in a linear array format up to the designated maximum disparity, and each of which exchanges information with adjacent processing elements and processes it in parallel. The above-noted configuration allows a full-speed operation irrespective of a number of processing elements.

Pixel data on the left image epipolar line are input to the left image register l₁ through the input buffer 310 according to a sync signal, and the pixel data input to the left image register l₁ are sequentially shifted to the subsequent left image registers l₂ to l_(N/2). In a like manner, pixel data on the right image epipolar line are input to the right image register r_(N/2) through the input buffer 310, and the pixel data input to the right image register r_(N/2) are sequentially shifted to the subsequent right image registers r_(N/2−1) to r₁. As shown in FIG. 3, a left image register l_(n) and a right image register r_(n) are formed to correspond to two forward processors fp_(j) and fp_(j-1).

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the j^(th) processing element (1≦j≦N) in the processing element array 320 of FIG. 5 will now be described.

Referring to FIG. 6, the forward processor 323 fp_(j) includes an absolute value calculator 323 a, a multi-line cost memory 323 b, adders 323 c and 323 d, a multiplexer 323 e, a cost register 323 f, adders 323 g and 323 h, and a controller 323 i. The forward processor 323 fp_(j) receives pixel data of the left and right image lines on the epipolar lines according to clock signals t, calculates a decision value, and stores the decision value in the stack 325.

The absolute value calculator 323 a receives pixel data from the left and right image registers 321 and 322, and uses the absolute value of a difference between the pixel data

$L_{n}\left( g_{\frac{1}{2}{({t - j - 1})}}^{l} \right)$ of the left image and the pixel data

$R_{n}\left( g_{\frac{1}{2}{({t + j - 1})}}^{r} \right)$ of the right image to calculate a matching cost. The multi-line cost memory 323 b determines a multi-line cost by using activation signals [a_(j−λ),a_(j+λ)] for multi-line processing, and outputs the multi-line cost. The multi-line cost memory 323 b outputs a small cost in the case of an activation signal of a near processing element, and outputs a big cost in the case of an activation signal of a far processing element, which will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

The adder 323 c adds a cost U_(j)(t−2) which is fed back from the cost register 323 f and is in advance of two clock signals and a multi-line cost output by the cost memory 323 b, and the adder 323 d adds a matching cost of the absolute value calculator 323 a to the value added by the adder 323 c.

The multiplexer 323 e concurrently outputs the least cost from among costs U_(j+1)(t−1)+γ and U_(j−1)(t−1)+γ which are output by the (j+1)^(th) forward processor 323 and the (j−1)^(th) forward processor 323 and are in advance of one clock signal, and an output U_(j)(t−1) of the adder 323 d according to control by the controller 323 h, and outputs a decision value of V_(t,j) which represents a path of the least cost. The adder 323 g adds a multi-line cost of the multi-line cost memory 323 b to the output of the multiplexer 323 e, and outputs the added result as a cost U_(j)(t) of the current clock signal so that the cost U_(j)(t) may be stored in the cost register 323 f. The adder 323 h adds an occlusion cost γ to the cost U_(j)(t−2) which is output by the cost register 323 f and is in advance of two clock signals, and outputs the added result to the adjacent (j+1)^(th) and (j−1)^(th) forward processors 323.

Referring to FIG. 7, the backward processor 324 (bp_(j)) of FIG. 5 includes an OR gate 324 a, a one-bit activation register 324 b, a D buffer 324 c, a demultiplexer 324 d, a tri-state buffer 324 e, and a controller 324 f. The backward processor 324 operates the decision value read from the stack 325, calculates a disparity value, and outputs the disparity value according to clock signals.

The OR gate 324 a receives activation signals a_(j+1)(t−1)δ(1+V_(t−1,j+1)) and a_(j−1)(t−1)δ(1−V_(t−1,j−1)) of the adjacent (j+1)^(th) and (j−1)^(th) backward processors 324 and an activation signal a_(j)(t)δ(V_(t,j)) which is fed back from the demultiplexer 324 d. An output of the OR gate 324 a is stored in the activation register 324 b as an activation bit value a_(j)(t+2) after two clock signals according to control by the controller 323 f. An output a_(j)(t) of the activation register 324 b is stored in the D buffer 324 c, and the D buffer 324 c outputs the activation bit value after k clock signals are counted. As described, the D buffer 324 c receives the activation bit value and outputs it as a multi-line activation signal which is used to be synchronized with the backward processor when the multi-line activation signal is input to the forward processor 323 for receiving a multi-line processing activation signal.

The demultiplexer 324 d demultiplexes the data input by the activation register 324 b according to the decision value of V_(t,j) input by the forward processor 323 through the stack 325, outputs backward processing activation signals a_(j)(t)δ(1−V_(t,j)) and a_(j)(t)δ(1+V_(t,j)) to the adjacent backward processor 324, and feeds the activation signal a_(j)(t)δ(V_(t,j)) back to the OR gate 324 a. The tri-state buffer 324 e receives the decision value of V_(i,j) from the stack 325, and outputs an optimal decision value of V*_(t,j) which represents increment/decrement of disparity according to an output by the activation register 324 b. The tri-state buffer 324 e outputs the input value when the activation bit value a_(j)(t) is given to be 1, and the tri-state buffer 324 e becomes a high impedance state and outputs no value when the activation bit value a_(j)(t) is not 1.

The addition of decision values V*_(t,j) output by the backward processor bp_(j) produces a disparity value, and since the disparity value is gradually changed depending on the variation of decision values, the compression rate can be increased by a differential-coding compression method. That is, the encoder 330 can output the decision value of V*_(t,j) without outputting the disparity value added with the decision value of V*_(t,j).

The decision value of V*_(t,j) represents variations of the path to thus have three values of no path variation, upward path-variation, and downward path variation, and hence, the decision value of V*_(t,j) are represented as 00, 01, and 10 in two bits, and 00 is a dummy bit. Two decision values of V*_(t,j) and V*_(t−1,j) require four bits, and in this instance, 0110 and 1001 can be considered to belong to the same case as that of 0000 since 0110 and 1001 have a very rare probability of geometric existence. Therefore, as given in Table 1, the two decision values can be represented in three bits by processing the dummy data and encoding them. Also, flag data are allowed since a number can be assigned as a flag.

TABLE 1 V*_(t, j) V*_(t−1, j) Outputs 00 00 0 00 01 1 00 10 2 01 00 3 01 01 4 01 10 0 10 00 5 10 01 0 10 10 6 flag flag 7

Referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, a stereo image matching method in the stereo image matching system using plural image lines will be described in detail. The 0^(th) to (N−1)^(th) processing elements are operated in parallel when the clock signals are counted from 0 to 2N in the first exemplary embodiment, and FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 will illustrate the j^(th) processing element for ease of description.

In order to use the disparity value of the line in the processing element and control the backward processor bp_(j) and the forward processor fp_(j) to be concurrently operated in the first embodiment, performance of hardware is differed according to the state in which image lines on the epipolar lines are odd or even from among the total images so as to synchronize the multi-line processing activation signal and the forward processor since the multi-line processing activation signal is differed by the output of the decision value. Therefore, the input buffer 310 differently arranges the order of pixel data depending on whether the index of an image line is odd or even.

The pixel data of even image lines will be described with reference to FIG. 8, and the pixel data of odd image lines will be described with reference to FIG. 9.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 respectively show a flowchart for the stereo image matching system according to the first exemplary embodiment to process pixel data of an even image line and a flowchart for the stereo image matching system to process pixel data of an odd image line.

The case in which pixel data of an even image line are input will be described with reference to FIG. 8. A cost U_(j)(0), jε[1,N] when the processing element is reset at the 0^(th) clock (i=0) is given in Equation 1 in step S810.

$\begin{matrix} {{U_{j}(0)} = \left\{ \begin{matrix} 0 & {{{{if}\mspace{14mu} j} = 0},} \\ \infty & {otherwise} \end{matrix} \right.} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 1} \end{matrix}$

Referring to FIG. 5, the left image register l₁ and the right image register r_(N/2) sequentially receive left and right image pixel data from the input buffers 311 and 312, and the left and right image registers l₁ to l_(N/2) and r₁ to r_(N/2) shift the pixel data to the adjacent image registers l₁ to l_(N/2) and r₁ to r_(N/2) in step S820.

The processing element is differently operated depending on whether the sum (i+j) of the i^(th) current clock signal and the position j of the processing element is odd or even. The forward processor fp_(j) processes the pixel data of the current input image line, and the backward processor bp_(j) reads a decision value processed by the forward processor fp_(j) from the stack 325 and processes the decision value. It will be defined below that the backward processor bp_(j) is operated in advance to the forward processor fp_(j). Accordingly, since the forward processor fp_(j) can write the decision value on the position which the backward processor bp_(j) read in the stack 325, it is allowed for the decision value of a previous line and a decision value of a current line to share a stack. Therefore, the cost and the decision value which are output by the forward processor fp_(j) of the i^(th) current clock signal are represented to be U_(j)(i) and V_(i,j) respectively, and the activation signal and the disparity which are output by the backward processor bp_(j) are represented to be a_(j)(i+1) and {circumflex over (d)}(i+1) respectively.

The operation of the above-noted processing element will be described in detail for a case in which the sum of (i+j) is odd and a case in which the sum of (i+j) is even.

The controller 323 i of the forward processor fp_(j) and the controller 324 f of the backward processor bp_(j) determine whether the sum of the i^(th) clock signal and the position j of the processing element is odd or even in step S830.

The controller 323 i of FIG. 6 controls to output U_(j)(t−1) as a cost in step S841 when the sum of (i+j) is found to be odd, and the controller 323 i controls to output U_(j)(t) as a cost in step S842 when the sum of (i+j) is found to be even.

In detail, since the output U_(j)(t−1) of the adder 323 d of the forward processor fp_(j) becomes a cost when the sum of (i+j) is odd, the cost U_(j)(i) at the i^(th) clock signal is generated by adding a difference of left and right pixel data to the cost U_(j)(i−1) at the previous clock signal and adding a multi-line cost thereto. The multi-line cost is given in Equation 2, the controller 323 i receives a multi-line processing activation signal a_(j+p)(i) calculated by the backward processor 324, and outputs η|p| when |p| is less than λ, and outputs ηλ when |p| is greater than λ. The multi-line cost is used as a constraint condition for matching since it is calculated and output in consideration of the difference between the position (j+p) of the processing element of the input activation signal a_(j+p)(i) and the position j of the forward processing fp_(j).

$\begin{matrix} {{\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{\eta{p}{a_{j + p}(i)}}} + {\eta\;{{\lambda\delta}\left( {\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{a_{j + p}(i)}} \right)}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 2} \end{matrix}$

where λ is a range in which the multi-line processing activation signal a_(j+p)(i) is transmitted to a near processing element, and η determines a scale of the multi-line cost value.

The cost U_(j)(i) at the i^(th) clock signal is given in Equation 3 considering the multi-line cost, and the decision value in this instance is given to be 0.

$\begin{matrix} {{U_{j}(i)} = {{U_{j}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + {{g_{\frac{1}{2}{({i - j - 1})}}^{l} - g_{\frac{1}{2}{({i + j - 1})}}^{r}}} + {\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{\eta{p}{a_{j + p}(i)}}} + {\eta\;{{\lambda\delta}\left( {\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{a_{j + p}(i)}} \right)}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 3} \end{matrix}$

When the sum (i+j) is even, the output U_(j)(t−1) of the adder 323 g of the forward processor fp_(j) becomes a cost. Therefore, the cost U_(j)(i) at the i^(th) clock signal is given to be a value obtained by adding the multi-line cost of the cost memory 323 b to the minimum value of U_(j+1)(i−1)+γ, U_(j)(i−1), and U_(j−1)(i−1+γ as expressed in Equation 4. The decision value V_(i,j) is a value for representing a path of the least cost, given in Equation 5.

$\begin{matrix} {{U_{j}(i)} = {{\min\limits_{{p \in {\lbrack{{- 1},1}\rbrack}},{{j + p} \in {\lbrack{0,N}\rbrack}}}\left\{ {{U_{j + p}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + {\gamma\; p^{2}}} \right\}} + {\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{\eta{p}{a_{j + p}(i)}}} + {\eta\;{{\lambda\delta}\left( {\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{a_{j + p}(i)}} \right)}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 4} \\ {V_{i,j}^{b} = \underset{{p \in {\lbrack{{- 1},1}\rbrack}},{{j + p} \in {\lbrack{0,N}\rbrack}}}{\arg\mspace{14mu}\min}\left\{ {{U_{j + p}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + {\gamma\; p^{2}}} \right\}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 5} \end{matrix}$

where

$\underset{x}{\arg\mspace{20mu}\min}\left\{ {f(x)} \right\}$ is a function for outputting a parameter x for minimizing f(x). A decision value output by the forward processor for the pixel data of the even image line from among the decision values V_(i,j) will be denoted by V_(i,j) ^(b), and a decision value output by the forward processor for the pixel data of the odd image line will be denoted by V_(i,j) ^(a).

The decision values V_(i,j) determined through the steps of S841 and S842 are stored in the stack 325.

The backward processor bp_(j) reads a decision value V_(2N−i,j) ^(a) processed by the forward processor fp_(j) from the stack 325. The output of the activation register 324 b becomes an activation signal a_(j)(i+1) according to control by the controller 324 f in FIG. 7. That is, the OR gate 324 a of FIG. 7 performs an OR operation on an activation signal a_(j)(i)δ(V_(2N−i,j) ^(a)) processed by the current backward processor bp_(j) at the previous clock signal and activation signals a_(j−1)(i)δ(1−V_(2N−i,j−1) ^(a)) and a_(j+1)(i)δ(1+V_(2N−i,j+1) ^(a)) processed by the adjacent backward processors bp_(j−1) and bp_(j+1) at the previous clock signal, and outputs a result signal. The result signal becomes an activation signal a_(j)(i+1) at the current clock signal as given in Equation 6.

$\begin{matrix} {{a_{j}\left( {i + 1} \right)} = {\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{{a_{j + p}(i)}{\delta\left( {p + V_{{{2\; N} - i},{j + p}}^{a}} \right)}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 6} \end{matrix}$

The tri-state buffer 324 e receives the decision value V_(2N−i,j) ^(a) of the previous line from the stack 325, and outputs an optimal decision value V_(2N−i,j) ^(a) for showing increment/decrement of disparity according to the activation bit a_(j)(i+1) so that the sum of the decision values V_(2N−i,j) ^(a) becomes a disparity {circumflex over (d)}(i+1). The tri-state buffer 324 e outputs a decision value V_(2N−i,j) ^(a) when the activation bit a_(j)(i+1) is high (i.e., ‘1’), and the tri-state buffer 324 e outputs a high-impedance signal so that an output by another backward processor may not be hindered when the activation bit a_(j)(i+1) is low (i.e., ‘0’). Therefore, the disparity {circumflex over (d)}(i+1) is given in Equation 7.

$\begin{matrix} {{\hat{d}\left( {i + 1} \right)} = {\sum\limits_{j \in {\lbrack{0,{N - 1}}\rbrack}}{{a_{j}\left( {i + 1} \right)}V_{{{2\; N} - i},j}^{a}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 7} \end{matrix}$

When the i^(th) current clock signal is not 2N in step S850, the i^(th) clock signal is increased by 1 in step S860 to repeat the same processes of S820, S830, S841, and S842. Hence, the disparity for the pixel data of the current image line is calculated.

Referring to FIG. 9, the case of inputting pixel data of an odd image line will be described. The processing element is reset at the 0^(th) clock signal (i=0), and the cost U_(j)(0), jε[1,N] at the reset is given in Equation 1 in step S910.

Referring to FIG. 4, the left image register l₁ and the right image register r_(N/2) sequentially receive pixel data of left and right image lines from the input buffers 311 and 312, and the left and right image registers l₁ to l_(N/2) and r₁ to r_(N/2) shift the pixel data to the adjacent image registers l₁ to l_(N/2) and r₁ to r_(N/2) in step S920. In this instance, the orders of the left and right image pixel data are rearranged to be

$g_{N - {\frac{1}{2}{({i - j - 1})}}}^{l}\mspace{14mu}{and}\mspace{14mu}{g_{N - {\frac{1}{2}{({i - j - 1})}}}^{r}.}$

In a like manner of FIG. 8, it is determined whether the sum (i+j) is odd or even in step S930, and when the sum (i+j) is odd, the controller 323 i of FIG. 6 controls U_(j)(t−1) to be output as a cost in step S941, and when the sum (i+j) is even, the controller 323 i controls U_(j)(t) to be output as a cost in step S942.

Therefore, since the output U_(j)(t−1) of the adder 323 d of the forward processor fp_(j) becomes a cost when the sum (i+j) is odd, the cost U_(j)(i) is given in Equation 8, and the decision value V_(i,j) ^(a) in this instance is 0.

$\begin{matrix} {{U_{j}(i)} = {{U_{j}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + {{g_{N - {\frac{1}{2}{({i - j - 1})}}}^{l} - g_{N - {\frac{1}{2}{({i + j - 1})}}}^{r}}} + {\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{\eta{p}{a_{j + p}(i)}}} + {\eta\;{{\lambda\delta}\left( {\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{a_{j + p}(i)}} \right)}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 8} \end{matrix}$

When the sum (i+j) is even, the output U_(j)(t−1) of the adder 323 g of the forward processor fp_(j) becomes a cost, and accordingly, the cost U_(j)(i) and the decision value V_(i,j) ^(a) are given in Equations 9 and 10, respectively.

$\begin{matrix} {{U_{j}(i)} = {{\min\limits_{{p \in {\lbrack{{- 1},1}\rbrack}},{{j + p} \in {\lbrack{0,N}\rbrack}}}\left\{ {{U_{j + p}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + {\gamma\; p^{2}}} \right\}} + {\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{\eta{p}{a_{j + p}(i)}}} + {\eta\;{{\lambda\delta}\left( {\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{a_{j + p}(i)}} \right)}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 9} \\ {V_{i,j}^{a} = \underset{{p \in {\lbrack{{- 1},1}\rbrack}},{{j + p} \in {\lbrack{0,N}\rbrack}}}{\arg{\mspace{14mu}\;}\min}\left\{ {{U_{j}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + {\gamma\; p^{2}}} \right\}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 10} \end{matrix}$

The decision value V_(i,j) ^(a) determined through the steps of S941 and S942 is stored in the stack 325.

In a like manner of FIG. 8, the backward processor bp_(j) reads a decision value V_(2N−i,j) ^(b) processed by the forward processor fp_(j) from the stack 325 as to an adjacent image line, and outputs an activation bit a_(j)(i+1). The tri-state buffer 324 e of the backward processor bp_(j) receives the decision value V_(2N−i,j) ^(b) of the previous line from the stack 325, and outputs an optimal decision value V_(2N−i,j) ^(b) for showing increment/decrement of disparity according to the activation bit a_(j)(i+1), and the sum of the decision values V_(2N−i,j) ^(a) becomes a disparity {circumflex over (d)}(i+1). The activation bit a_(j)(i+1) and the disparity {circumflex over (d)}(i+1) are given in Equations 11 and 12.

$\begin{matrix} {{a_{j}\left( {i + 1} \right)} = {\sum\limits_{p \in {\lbrack{{- \lambda},\lambda}\rbrack}}{{a_{j + p}(i)}{\delta\left( {p + V_{{{2\; N} - i},{j + p}}^{b}} \right)}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 11} \\ {{\hat{d}\left( {i + 1} \right)} = {\sum\limits_{j \in {\lbrack{0,{N - 1}}\rbrack}}{{a_{j}\left( {i + 1} \right)}V_{{{2\; N} - i},j}^{b}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 12} \end{matrix}$

When the i^(th) current clock signal is not 2N in step S950, the i^(th) clock signal is increased by 1 in step S960 to repeat the steps of S920, S930, S941, and S942. The disparity for the pixel data of the current image line is calculated through the above-described process.

The stereo image matching method processed by the stereo image matching system according to the first embodiment has been described, which can also be processed by software. A software-based stereo image matching method according to a second exemplary embodiment will be described in which processing elements are performed not in parallel but in series.

FIG. 10 shows a flowchart for a stereo image matching method according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 10, processing elements are reset in step S1010, and the position j of a processing element to be processed is established to be 0 in step S1020, as given in Equation 1.

The pixel data

$g_{\frac{1}{2}{({t - j - 1})}}^{l}\mspace{14mu}{and}\mspace{14mu} g_{\frac{1}{2}{({t + j - 1})}}^{r}$ and right image lines are input to the forward processor fp_(j) from the left and right image registers l₁ to l_(N/2) and r₁ to r_(N/2) in step S1030, it is determined whether the sum (i+j) is odd or even in step S1040, and λ and a difference between the position j of the current processing element and the disparity value d_(old)(i) of the previous line are compared in step S1050.

The cost U_(j)(i) is calculated by Equation 13 in step S1061 when the sum (i+j) is odd and |j−d_(old)(i)| is equal to or less than λ, the cost U_(j)(i) is calculated by Equation 14 in step S1062 when the sum (i+j) is odd and |j−d_(old)(i)| is greater than λ, and the decision value V_(i,j) is established to be 0 when the sum (i+j) is odd.

$\begin{matrix} {{U_{j}(i)} = {{U_{j}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + \begin{pmatrix} {g_{\frac{1}{2}{({i - j - 1})}}^{l} -} \\ g_{\frac{1}{2}{({i + j - 1})}}^{r} \end{pmatrix}^{2} + {\eta{{j - {d_{old}(i)}}}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 13} \\ {{U_{j}(i)} = {{U_{j}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + \begin{pmatrix} {g_{\frac{1}{2}{({i - j - 1})}}^{l} -} \\ g_{\frac{1}{2}{({i + j - 1})}}^{r} \end{pmatrix}^{2} + {\eta\lambda}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 14} \end{matrix}$

In this instance, the cost U_(j)(i) and the decision value V_(i,j) are calculated in step S1063 as given in Equations 15 and 16 when the sum (i+j) is even and |j−d_(old)(i)| is equal to or less than λ, and the cost U_(j)(i) and the decision value V_(i,j) are calculated in step S1064 as given in Equations 17 and 18 when the sum (i+j) is even and |j−d_(old)(i)| is greater than λ.

$\begin{matrix} {{U_{j}(i)} = {\min\limits_{{p \in {\lbrack{{- 1},1}\rbrack}},{{j + p} \in {\lbrack{0,N}\rbrack}}}\begin{Bmatrix} {{U_{j + p}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + {\gamma\; p^{2}} +} \\ {\eta{{j - {d_{old}(i)}}}} \end{Bmatrix}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 15} \\ {V_{i,j} = {\underset{{p \in {\lbrack{{- 1},1}\rbrack}},{{j + p} \in {\lbrack{0,N}\rbrack}}}{\arg\mspace{20mu}\min}\begin{Bmatrix} {{U_{j + p}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + {\gamma\; p^{2}} +} \\ {\eta{{j - {d_{old}(i)}}}} \end{Bmatrix}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 16} \\ {{U_{j}(i)} = {\min\limits_{{p \in {\lbrack{{- 1},1}\rbrack}},{{j + p} \in {\lbrack{0,N}\rbrack}}}\left\{ {{U_{j + p}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + {\gamma\; p^{2}} + {\eta\lambda}} \right\}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 17} \\ {V_{i,j} = {\underset{{p \in {\lbrack{{- 1},1}\rbrack}},{{j + p} \in {\lbrack{0,N}\rbrack}}}{\arg\mspace{20mu}\min}\left\{ {{U_{j + p}\left( {i - 1} \right)} + {\gamma\; p^{2}} + {\eta\lambda}} \right\}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 18} \end{matrix}$

The cost U_(j)(i) and the decision value V_(i,j) are calculated through the steps S1061, S1062, and S1063 or S1064, and it is determined whether the position j of the current forward processor fp_(j) is (N−1)^(th) in step S1070. When the position j is not (N−1)^(th), the position j is increased by 1 in step S1071, and the process is repeated from the step of S1030.

When the position j is (N−1)^(th), that is, when the costs U_(j)(i) and the decision values V_(i,j) are calculated for the forward processors fp_(j), it is determined whether the i^(th) current clock signal is 2N in step S1080. When the i^(th) current clock signal is not 2N, the i^(th) current clock signal is increased by 1 in step S1081, and the process is repeated from the step of S1020. When the i^(th) current clock signal is 2N, that is, when the process of the forward processor fp_(j) is finished for the clock signals, the backward processor bp_(j) is processed.

The backward processor uses the disparity d_(j) and the decision value V_(i,dj) established in the previous stage to calculate the disparity d_(j−1) in the current stage as given in Equation 19, and update d_(old)(i) with d_(old)(i)=d_(i) in step S1110. d _(j−1) =d _(j) +V _(i,d) _(j)   Equation 19

It is determined whether the i^(th) current clock signal is 0 in step S1120, and when it is not 0, the i^(th) current clock signal is decreased by 1 in step S1130, and the process is repeated from the step of S1110.

According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 11, image lines g_(m1) ^(l)−g_(m2) ^(l) and g_(m1) ^(r)−g_(m2) ^(r) on adjacent plural epipolar lines are received, and the constraint condition between lines in the case of matching stereo images is used to reduce the error of disparity. That is, the difference of the disparity value which is distance data between image lines of disparity images is used to be the constraint condition at the time of matching the stereo images on the assumption that the surface of an object is relatively gentle. Therefore, much noise is eliminated as shown in FIG. 13C compared to FIG. 13D when the left and right images of FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B are input.

While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

According to the present invention, the disparity is calculated at a high speed and is encoded with a high compression rate. Further, stable distance images are obtained since noise in the vertical direction is eliminated by using the geometric constraint condition between image lines on the epipolar lines. 

1. A stereo image matching system using image lines comprising: an image processor for converting images input by first and second cameras into digital signals, and outputting first and second pixel data; and an image matcher for determining a predetermined cost from the first and second pixel data on the same epipolar line, tracking a first decision value for determining the predetermined cost, and using the first decision value estimated from the first and second pixel data on a previous epipolar line to output a second decision value.
 2. The stereo image matching system of claim 1, wherein the first and second pixel data are pixel data of left and right image lines on the same epipolar line.
 3. The stereo image matching system of claim 1, wherein the image matcher comprises: a first input buffer and a second input buffer for respectively arranging the first and second pixel data, and outputting them; and a processing element array for receiving the first and second pixel data from the first and second input buffers, and tracking the first and second decision values.
 4. The stereo image matching system of claim 3, wherein the image matcher further comprises an encoder for receiving the second decision value and compressing the same, and the encoder eliminates a path having a very rare probability of geometric existence from the second decision value.
 5. The stereo image matching system of claim 3, wherein the processing element array comprises: a plurality of first image registers for sequentially receiving the first pixel data; a plurality of second image registers for sequentially receiving the second pixel data; and a plurality of processing elements for receiving the first and second pixel data from the first and second registers, and tracking the first and second decision values.
 6. The stereo image matching system of claim 5, wherein N/2 first image registers and N/2 second image registers are provided, and N processing elements are provided.
 7. The stereo image matching system of claim 5, wherein the processing elements output the sum of second decision values to be a disparity value.
 8. The stereo image matching system of claim 5, wherein input orders of the first and second pixel data input to the first and second image registers are different according to the condition whether image lines on the epipolar lines corresponding to the input first and second pixel data are odd or even on the image.
 9. The stereo image matching system of claim 5, wherein the processing element transmits and receives costs and activation signals to/from adjacent processing elements.
 10. The stereo image matching system of claim 9, wherein the activation signal comprises a multi-line processing activation signal for calculating a multi-line cost and a backward processing activation signal of adjacent processing elements.
 11. The stereo image matching system of claim 10, wherein the processing element comprises: a forward processor for determining a cost from the first and second pixel data and the multi-line processing activation signal, and calculating the first decision value for representing the path of the determined cost; a stack for storing the first decision value; and a backward processor for using the first decision value on the previous epipolar line and the backward processing activation signal to calculate the second decision value.
 12. The stereo image matching system of claim 11, wherein the backward processors are processed after the forward processors are processed, and the forward processors and the backward processors can be sequentially processed.
 13. The stereo image matching system of claim 11, wherein the forward processor processes the current input first and second pixel data, and the backward processor receives the first decision value of a previous image line processed by the forward processor and outputs the second decision value.
 14. The stereo image matching system of claim 11, wherein the backward processor comprises: an OR gate for receiving an activation signal of an adjacent backward processor and an activation signal output by a demultiplexer of the backward processor; an activation register for storing an output of the OR gate; a demultiplexer for outputting data input by the activation register according to the first decision value output by the stack; a tri-state buffer for receiving the first decision value and outputting the second decision value according to an output of the activation register; and a D buffer for receiving an activation bit from the activation register, storing it, and outputting a multi-line activation signal.
 15. The stereo image matching system of claim 14, wherein an activation register of the 0^(th) backward processor is activated and activation registers of other backward processors are inactivated when the backward processors are reset.
 16. The stereo image matching system of claim 11, wherein the forward processor comprises: an absolute value calculator for using a difference between the first and second pixel data output by the first and second image registers to calculate a matching cost; a multi-line cost memory for determining a multi-line cost by using the multi-line processing activation signal; a second adder for adding the matching cost and the multi-line cost to a value fed back from a first adder; a multiplexer for outputting the least cost from among the output by the second adder and costs of adjacent forward processors, and outputting the first decision value for showing a path of the least cost; a first adder for adding the output by the multiplexer and the multi-line cost; a cost register for storing an output of the first adder; and a third adder for adding an occlusion value to an output by the cost register, and outputting a result value to adjacent forward processors.
 17. The stereo image matching system of claim 16, wherein costs of cost registers of forward processors excluding the 0^(th) forward processor are established to be maximum when the forward processors are reset.
 18. The stereo image matching system of claim 16, wherein the multi-line cost memory uses a difference between the position of the processing element of the multi-line processing activation signal and the position of the forward processor to calculate the multi-line cost.
 19. A stereo image matching method using image lines, comprising: receiving left and right pixel data from left and right cameras; arranging left and right pixel data of image lines on epipolar lines, and sequentially outputting them to a plurality of first and second image registers; allowing the forward processors to determine predetermined costs from the left and right pixel data output by the first and second image registers and track a first decision value for determining the costs; and allowing the backward processors to output a second decision value which is an optimal decision value from the first decision value for the previous image line, wherein the backward processors are performed after the forward processors are performed, and the forward processors and the backward processors are sequentially performed. 